My wife, an English teacher at Pleasanton’s Amador Valley High School recently spent a week of her summer break to tutor at STEPS Community Prep School in Pleasanton for the first time. She was very impressed with the model behind this tutoring facility and the direct benefits it would have to the students. So I asked her share her thoughts about the prep school and how it is different from other facilities. Below are the benefits she saw in STEPS Community Prep School.

It is easy to see why so many Pleasanton families are choosing the tutoring services of STEPS Community Prep School. The team of teachers is comprised only of Pleasanton school teachers. This is what, perhaps, sets STEPS apart from other tutoring services. The teachers are highly skilled with the Pleasanton curriculum. They are able to combine their expertise with innovative teaching strategies. For example, a sophomore student seeking help in geometry will receive instruction from an actual geometry teacher from Amador Valley or Foothill High School. A student wanting to get instruction on writing will be taught the same format and requirements expected at Pleasanton middle schools at high schools. There is no question that this kind of specialized tutoring is rewarding for students when they see their own growth applied to the classroom.

A small group setting promotes individualized learning and in depth study. The Pleasanton teachers can adjust to students’ needs and foster meaningful collaboration among the students. In short, a student at STEPS can get the attention they need to meet their educational goals.

Classes are scheduled in relationship to the PUSD academic schedule. Continue Reading

Sets and Writes Down His Goals - It is said that a year ago Michael Phelps handed his Coach Bob Bowman a piece of paper with his goal for the year — to bring home 8 Gold Medals home from the Beijing Olympics.  Any professional in sales knows that goal setting is a must and writing any goal down only increases the probability of it happening.  I wonder how many homes Michael Phelps could sell in a year…and would he specialize in selling only homes with pools?

Works Nights and Weekends - This goes without saying.  What’s the number one thing that real estate agents wish they could change?  It is most likely the schedule of having to work on nights and weekends.  But as in any industry when you are dealing with the working public, you have to work when your clients are not working.  Based on the grueling schedule that has been featured on TV during these Olympics, it is obvious that Michael Phelps would do well working around the clock.

Does Not Give Up - Another attribute that a good real estate agent has is persistency.  It may take months to find the right house for a client and having a persistent agent on your side can guarantee a positive result.  Other times, a listing on the market may take months to sell and not giving up on the ‘race’ to sell the home is something that a real estate agent must attain.

Works Well Under Pressure - While the general public may not give Realtors credit for this, most agents have to work extremely well under pressure and on their toes.  With so many moving parts in the real estate transaction and the ever evolving changes in the financing industry, it is vital for agents to perform under heat.  Continue Reading

Last Wednesday, August 13, Smart & Final, Pleasanton’s newest major grocery store in Pleasanton opened its doors to the public.  Smart & Final serves as the sixth major grocery store in Pleasanton accompanied by Pleasanton based Safeway as well as others like Nob Hill and Lucky’s.  The business model of the Los Angeles based chain is similar to Costco and the bulk style purchasing for a discount, however Smart & Final does not require a club membership like Costco.

The new location (a stone’s throw away from my office) shares the parking lot of hamburger selling machine, In ‘n Out and is across the street from Pleasanton’s Home Depot location.  Look for special grand opening coupons specifically for the Smart & Final Pleasanton location in your mailbox and be sure to check out the city’s newest major grocer.

For more details, check out this article in the Pleasanton Weekly.

Chris Kamali is a TriValley Real Estate Agent, helping clients buy and sell homes in Dublin, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Livermore.

A recent change in the Housing Assistance Act of 2008 signed by President Bush may have some home investors, not just in the Trivalley, but in the whole country worried.  A strategy taxpayers have used in the past to avoid paying capital gains taxes has been to move back into one of their rental properties and to claim it as their primary residence and sell the property after two years of residing there to take advantage of the Homeowner’s Exemption, a law that allows allows a taxpayer to exclude up to $250K ($500K for married couples) of gain realized on the sale of a primary residence.

The Housing Assistance Act of 2008 now includes a change that takes away much of the benefits to this plan.  The following article in the Wall Street Journal speaks in details to this change affecting the modification of the homeowner’s tax exemption.

Chris Kamali is a TriValley Real Estate Agent, helping clients buy and sell homes in Dublin, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Livermore.

So you finally are about to move into your Tri-Valley home and you need to make sure you have the utilities turned on so you don’t walk into a dark home with no running water.  Below is the contact information for the local services which may be helpful when moving into the Tri-Valley.

PG&E
1-800-743-5000

Pleasanton

Pleasanton Garbage Service
(925) 846-2042

Pleasanton Water Service
(925) 931-5425

Dublin

Dublin Garbage Service
925-479-9545

Dublin Water
(925) 828-8524

San Ramon

San Ramon Waste Management
(925) 837-3356

San Ramon Water
(925) 828-8524

Livermore

Livermore Garbage Service
(925) 447-1300

Livermore Water  
(925) 447-4900

Below are the housing stats for the city of Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon and Livermore. If you have any questions or would like any detailed information, please let me know.

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